Friday, December 31, 2010

Fantasy Nation

"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift."~Albert Einstein

Wow, even back then, Albert got it! Think about our society today and how many ways we have done this...

Our government schools train people to be factory workers, robots, all with the same viewpoint. "When everybody is thinking the same thing, no one is thinking." Yet that is the way we are teaching children today, still. We stifle creativity out of kids, make them sit still and memorize answers so they can pass a test that tells us how "smart" they are.

Think about that for a while...

Our society celebrates celebrities simply for being a celebrity. I mean really, how has Paris Hilton affected your life? Really? What about Perez Hilton? Why is this guy a celebrity? What about all these "reality shows?" Reality??? They are the farthest thing from reality!

Maybe we've become the "Fantasy Nation." Remember Fantasy Island with Ricardo Montolban and Herve Velasquez? We've become Fantasy Island on steroids, we are the Fantasy Nation.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift."

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Controlling Your Thoughts

"If we are not responsible for the thoughts that pass our doors, we are at least responsible for those we admit and entertain." ~Charles Newcomb

We cannot control thoughts that just pop into our mind. We can control those thoughts and decide if they are of value and allow them to stay in our minds. The challenge is that it takes discipline to make sure that we only allow the thoughts that will benefit us and block out those that can be negative for us. Metacognition = Thinking about what we think about. It's challenging but you can do it. You just need to practice your thinking. When was the last time you practiced your thinking...thought so.

Henry James said "Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." This is so true. Realize that the better you get at thinking, the better things will go for you. But it just doesn't happen, you need to work at it. Daily.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"If we are not responsible for the thoughts that pass our doors, we are at least responsible for those we admit and entertain."

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Expectations and Intentions

“Our limitations and success will be based, most often, on your own expectations for ourselves. What the mind dwells upon, the body acts upon.”~Denis Waitley

What are your expectations? Or better yet, what are your intentions? Have you ever thought of them seriously or are they something you think about in passing? Unfortunately, most people just think about them in passing. What would happen to your life and business if you always had great expectations and intentions?

What the mind dwells upon, the body acts upon.” And the universe bring about. We've all heard about "what we resist, persists." And we also know that what we focus on we bring about. So, wouldn't it make sense to start having great expectations and intentions? People say, 'don't have high expectations, you will only be disappointed.' So what of that? Have you never dealt with disappointment before? It's not fun, but it's part of life.

Don't let your limitations be part of your expectations! You can create your expectations without limitations. Do it NOW!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Our limitations and success will be based, most often, on your own expectations for ourselves. What the mind dwells upon, the body acts upon.”

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Selling Yourself Short?

"The story of the human race is the story of men and women selling themselves short." ~ Abraham Maslow

I see this every day. People dragging themselves to jobs they hate because they sell themselves short as to what they really could do. They are stuck in life and afraid to break out. They sell themselves short as to what they could do or accomplish if they only decided to. How many people do you know that are selling themselves short...way too many!

Dr. Seuss said “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” Don't ever let anyone make you believe that you cannot do anything you want to. You can steer yourself in any direction YOU CHOOSE! It's YOUR choice, no one elses.

Stop selling yourself short...NOW!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"The story of the human race is the story of men and women selling themselves short."

Monday, December 27, 2010

Do Not Wait

"Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right.' Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along." ~Napoleon Hill

Are you waiting? If you are, what are you waiting for? Why? "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life! But there was always some obstacle, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business." Are you dealing with the obstacles and not allowing life to begin? It's real easy for us to do and we get caught up in dealing with things that before you know it, another year has passed.

Start now with whatever you have. Stop waiting for whatever you think you need and just do it. NOW! As Goethe said there is boldness in beginning!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right.' Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along."

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas

"I have always thought of Christmas time as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely." ~ Charles Dickens

"Instead of being a time of unusual behavior, Christmas is perhaps the only time in the year when people can obey their natural impulses and express their true sentiments without feeling self-conscious and, perhaps, foolish. Christmas, in short, is about the only chance a man/woman has to be himself." ~ Francis C. Farley

Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Inside You...

"Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!” ~Anne Frank

YES. Inside you, right now is good news. You don't realize how great you can be, what you can accomplish, what your potential is! You are the Undiscovered Country! Don't fear it, find it! Create it! Be it! The only thing holding your greatness back is YOU. Do you realize that? Sure you say, but I've got to do this and that, the economy sucks and the boss hates me. SO WHAT? You are the one in charge of you, no one else is. You get to decide what to do and who to become, only you!

Marjorie Brody said "Never allow others to define your potential." Too many of us have allowed others to define our potential...our teachers, parents, friends, whoever. Don't let them, only you can define your potential and what you can become. And it's never too late to become who you were meant to be. So start right now!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Aprehension or Anticipation?

"The reason why most people face the future with apprehension instead of anticipation is because they don’t have it well designed." ~Jim Rohn

Are you facing the future with apprehension? It could be because you haven't really been specific in the design of your life. You might have an idea of where you want to go but without specifics, you end up sidetracked and going down the wrong roads, chasing the wrong things.

It's important to realize that we get to choose the design of our life, no one else does. And even if they have a plan for you, it's not much of a plan.

Jim Rohn also said "If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they may have planned for you? Not much." It will always be that way. You have to choose what you want and then go after it.

Look to the future with anticipation and design your own life plan. It's no one else's responsibility other than yours. Do it now!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"The reason why most people face the future with apprehension instead of anticipation is because they don’t have it well designed."

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

What Are You Prepared to See?

"People only see what they are prepared to see." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

What are you prepared to see? Are you prepared to see abundance or lack? Wealth or poverty? Health or sickness? Emerson really has it right. We only see what we are prepared to see. Here's a thought...change what you are prepared to see! Start looking for new things instead of going over the same old stuff and hoping for a different look. As we wind this year up, now is the perfect time to start looking for new things.

Charles Kettering said "It's amazing what ordinary people can do if they set out without preconceived notions." What are your preconceived notions? That you can't do it? That it's too hard? That it will take too long? Start the process without preconceived notions and you may be amazed at what you start to see.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"People only see what they are prepared to see."

Monday, December 20, 2010

Perhaps Christmas Means A Little Bit More

And the Grinch, his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
It came without ribbons.
It came without tags.
It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.
~Dr. Seuss

Friday, December 17, 2010

Your Great Purpose

“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations and your consciousness expands in every direction. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and your discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be. ~Patanjali

Are you inspired by some great purpose? Some extraordinary project? What is it? Or are you not really inspired at all and have no extraordinary projects to work on?? If you don't know or can't say what your great purpose is, that's ok. It's never to late to find your purpose, your extraordinary project. The key is to be searching within yourself to find it. It will not be outside of you. You already have it.

Here's what happens when you do find your great purpose...Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and your discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive! Have you ever experienced that? It's so cool when it does. The other thing that happens is that you discover yourself to be a far greater person than you ever dreamed yourself to be! When you find that purpose, all that negative self-talk disappears.

Challenge yourself this week to make sure that you are inspired by your great purpose. I dare you!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations and your consciousness expands in every direction. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and your discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Vision in Your Mind

"The vision that you glorify in your mind, either you revere or you fear."~James Allen

Any thought that is either feared or revered gathers energy around it and becomes the life we build. This will become you. What you resist, persists. Did you realize that? Most people spend too much time thinking about the things they don't want as opposed to the things they want. The result? They get more of what they don't want!! Spend more time on the things you want rather than on the things you don't.

Chris Lee said "Everything you've done in life - the good, the bad - have all brought you to this moment. Someone out there obviously wants you to do something significant, right now. That person is you." Do you want to do something significant? I think most people do, but they don't know what. Look inside, everything you've done in life has brought you to this moment. That's where you will find your gift to the world. Inside you.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"The vision that you glorify in your mind, either you revere or you fear."

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Your Limitations?

“There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge” ~Napoleon Hill

What limitations are you accepting and acknowledging? How often do we talk ourselves out of doing the thing we want because of our supposed limitations? Too often, we are our worst critic and we constantly sabotage our efforts because we don't think that we deserve it.

Richard Bach said “Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours.” How often are you arguing for your limitations? Stop doing that. Now!! Start being who you were meant to be. Stop living life at less than you were designed to live it. It's never too late to be who you were meant to be!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge”

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

First Rate You?

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”~Judy Garland

Are you a first rate version of yourself or are you a second rate version of someone else? Really, think about it! My feeling is that we start out as trying to imitate someone (a second rate version) and sometimes we break away from that, but sometimes we are stuck in it because we are never able to be as good as the original. What do you think?

While it's good to have role models and people that we can follow, it's imperative that we become who we were meant to be. To bring our unique gift to the world, for the world will never see it unless we each bring it. Too many people have shrunk from who they could have been and are just living to survive or until their "ship comes in." Guess what? That ship is never coming. It's never too late to be who you were meant to be.

Terry Josephson said “Stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities” That's the challenge for us today and from now on. Think in terms of YOUR possibilities! Wow, do you see how empowering that is? Your possibilities are limitless! You do realize that, don't you?

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”

Monday, December 13, 2010

Are You Dreaming or Wishing?

"Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and your reality. If you can dream it you can make it happen."~Belva Davis

Are you afraid of that space? Is that what is holding you back? Afraid of the space between your dreams and your reality?

There's nothing to fear in that space. It's all just a story that you are telling yourself.

If you are dreaming it, you've already been given everything that you need to make it happen, did you realize that or are you still focused on the 'space?' Do you believe that you can create your reality? Really?

Do you believe in your dream or is it just a fantasy, a place where you can go and wish? Too many people who say they have dreams, just have wishes, never working on them, just wishing for them.

What is your dream? Start focusing on it now and take the first step toward attaining it. Without taking the steps to attain it, it's just a wish.

Are you dreaming or are you wishing?

"Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and your reality. If you can dream it you can make it happen."

Friday, December 10, 2010

Success Lies Just Beyond

“We must never be afraid to go too far, for success lies just beyond.”
~Marcel Proust


Are you afraid to go too far? A lot of people are. They are not content where they are at but fear making a change that could bring them success. So they settle for what they have. Are you settling for what you have so that you can stay safe in your comfort zone? Success lies just beyond your comfort zone! Too many people in their comfort zone who don't want to be there stay there either out of fear or by settling and not taking a chance.

Max Du Pree said "In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining who we are." Wow, "We cannot become what we need to be by remaining who we are!" How powerful is that? Do you realize this? It's called GROWTH! And it takes us out of our comfort zone and allows us to become what we need to become.

If you are serious about becoming successful you will need to do two things:
1) Not be afraid of going too far, and
2) Not remaining who you are. That is your challenge for today and from now on!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“We must never be afraid to go too far, for success lies just beyond.”

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Unwilling to Improve?

"Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound." ~James Allen

Wow, was Allen right about that!! But I would want to make a slight change to his quote. I would say that people are willing to improve themselves, but they are unwilling to do the work involved in improving themselves. In our society, we want instant answers, instant riches, instant health and most of us are unwilling to do what we KNOW we should do to get those things. Just give me a pill...

For every person who climbs the ladder of success, there are a hundred still waiting for the elevator to show up. Are you a stair climber or are you waiting for the elevator? Be a stair climber. Make things happen, take action, improve your circumstances, improve yourself.

Take a moment today to improve yourself. Then do it every day. You will be amazed at your growth and the positive change it will make for you and your business.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound."

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Interested vs. Committed

Are you interested or committed?

Most people are interested in their business. Oh, they will say that they are committed to their business but the proof is right there in front of them. Here's the difference between being interested and being committed. If you are interested, you will do what you can do. If you are committed, you will do what you have to do. There's a huge difference between the two. Think about that...

What do you HAVE to do in your business or in your life? Do you stretch yourself to do what you have to do or do you only do what you can do? Brian Tracy said “Make a total commitment to your company, your job, your career and your life. Uncommitted people have no future.” Wow, "Uncommitted people have no future."

Realize that it's never too late to make a commitment to your business and your life. Your past does not dictate your future. It's your choice, always.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

Are you interested or committed?

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Perceptual Blindness: Problems and Solutions

"Perceptual blindness sheds much light on why we miss obvious solutions. By focusing on one thing (a problem), we miss something else (a solution)."~Michael McMillan

Another success killer is focusing on the problem rather than the solution. It is a learned behavior to focus on the solution, because our brain just wants to focus on the problem. Yes, you need to look at the problem, but only long enough to start to come up with solutions to that problem. Once you have a few solutions to work on, focus on the solutions!

What we focus on expands and unless we work on metacognition (thinking about what we think about) our focus will not be strong enough to stay on the solutions...our minds will drift back to the problem.

A good thing to work on is when you bring problems up at your work, at home or wherever, in addition to talking about the problem. bring a solution to the discussion. By bringing a solution to the problem, it allows the mind to search for other solutions instead of going back to the problem. Work on that this week.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Perceptual blindness sheds much light on why we miss obvious solutions. By focusing on one thing (a problem), we miss something else (a solution)."

Monday, December 6, 2010

Impatience

"The twin killers of success are impatience and greed."

In our current microwave society, we have become impatient, about most everything! If the computer doesn't load fast enough, we complain. If someone ahead of us at a light doesn't go as soon as its green, we get mad. As soon as the power goes out, we are on the phone to APS, demanding to know when the power will come back on. As one of the killers of success, our impatience keeps us from being present in the moment.

We no longer appreciate delayed gratification. There was a study done with children and they told the kids that they could have a candy bar right away, but if they would wait for 10 minutes, they would get two. What do you think happened? You're right, most of the kids took the candy and didn't wait for the second one. As one of the twin killers of success, impatience has become a major problem. And it's getting worse.

Here's a suggestion. How long should you try? Until. Until. Until it is finished, until you can't go on any more, until it can no longer help you. Jim Rohn said "Some people plant in the spring and leave in the summer. If you’ve signed up for a season, see it through. You don’t have to stay forever, but at least stay until you see it through." See it through.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"The twin killers of success are impatience and greed."

Friday, December 3, 2010

20/80 Thinking

“80/20 thinking requires, and with practice enables, us to spot the few really important things that are happening and ignore the mass of unimportant things. It teaches us to see the wood for the trees.” ~ Richard Koch

80/20 thinking. Have you ever done it? Really? For how long? A couple of minutes? Most of us are steeped in the "mass of unimportant things" and never get to 80/20 thinking. You all know Pareto's Principle, but when have you applied it to your thinking? Our challenge is to get away from the "mass of unimportant things" and start concentrating on the 20% of important things. Imagine what you could come up with if you spent time thinking about the important things. Our brain will naturally want to go to what is normal and known. It will take a while to get to that 20% but is it worth it!!

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least.” Too often we put the things that matter least in front of the things that matter most. Brian Tracy has a saying, he says "Eat the frog first." Think of what's most important and take care of that stuff first and the easy stuff will get done.

Action:
Spend some time thinking about the important 20% and what it means to you. Then do what matters most first! It's a winning combination.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“80/20 thinking requires, and with practice enables, us to spot the few really important things that are happening and ignore the mass of unimportant things. It teaches us to see the wood for the trees.”

Thursday, December 2, 2010

The Higher the Better

"Set your sights high, the higher the better. Expect the most wonderful things to happen, not in the future but right now. Realize that nothing is too good. Allow absolutely nothing to hamper you or hold you up in any way." ~ Eileen Caddy

I know that you set your sights high, but are they set the higher the better or are they just set high enough? High enough that it will challenge you a little, but not to much. Not a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal), just high enough. Do you expect wonderful things to happen RIGHT NOW??? Every expects wonderful things to happen someday. Here's the problem...someday never comes! There's Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Saturday and Sunday. There's no SOMEDAY!

What are you allowing yourself to be stopped by? Only you can stop you. Anais Nin said "We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are." Whatever is holding you back is in you, not in outer circumstances. We see things as we are!

Most people don't set their sights high enough and don't expect wonderful things to happen. Don't be part of the most people crowd. Don't allow others limited perception of you to define you. Only YOU can define YOU!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Set your sights high, the higher the better. Expect the most wonderful things to happen, not in the future but right now. Realize that nothing is too good. Allow absolutely nothing to hamper you or hold you up in any way."

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Possible or Reasonable

"If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise." -Robert Fritz

Do you limit your choices to what seems possible or reasonable? Really?? When I ask people what their BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) is, they usually answer with something seems possible (20% increase in business) or reasonable. That is not a BHAG! That is a compromise and most people will compromise on what they want.

Why do we do that? Our mind defaults to the negative and so it's difficult for us to create things that seem unreasonable. But reasonable men have never changed the world, only those who were unreasonable made the impossible, possible.

Jeffrey Gitomer said "Obstacles can't stop you. Problems can't stop you. Most of all, other people can't stop you. Only you can stop you." This is so true. You are the only thing that is stopping you. It's not the economy, not your spouse or friends, not anything but you...think about that.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise."